Contoured Ground Plate Antenna Array Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing antenna array designs face challenges in achieving compactness and low radio frequency loss, especially at higher frequencies, due to difficulties in manufacturing and handling thin dielectric spacer layers required for maintaining characteristic impedance and radiation performance.
Innovation Solution
A contoured ground plate with sunken sections and locating protrusions supports a dielectric film without a spacer layer, maintaining tension and separation, allowing for reduced gap distances and improved radiation performance at frequencies above 5 GHz.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a thin dielectric spacer layer is used to maintain compact design and characteristic impedance, then the separation distance between feed tracks and ground plane is reduced, but it becomes difficult to manufacture and handle the spacer layer
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the dielectric spacer layer entirely from the antenna assembly. Instead of using a thin foam spacer, the ground plate is designed with integrated support structures including protrusions that extend upward to support the dielectric film carrying the antenna elements, and recesses that provide spacing between the feed tracks and ground plane. This extraction of the spacer function into the ground plate structure eliminates manufacturing and handling difficulties associated with thin spacer layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the functions of the ground plate and dielectric spacer into a single integrated ground plate structure. The ground plate incorporates both the RF ground plane functionality and the mechanical support/spacing functionality that were previously separate. The protrusions and recesses are formed as integral parts of the ground plate, combining multiple functions into one component and simplifying the overall assembly.
2Strength
If a thicker dielectric film is used to support the feed network and antenna elements, then mechanical support is improved, but radio frequency loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by providing mechanical support only where needed through the ground plate protrusions, rather than using a uniformly thick dielectric film. The dielectric film thickness can be optimized for RF performance (thin) while the ground plate protrusions provide localized mechanical support at critical points. This allows the film to be thin enough to minimize RF loss while still having adequate mechanical support where required.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention moves the mechanical support function from the vertical dimension (thick dielectric film) to the horizontal dimension (ground plate protrusions extending upward to contact the film). By providing support points at the edges and corners through protrusions, adequate mechanical support is achieved without increasing the overall film thickness, thus maintaining low RF loss.
3Manufacturing precision
If a small separation distance is used between feed tracks and ground plane, then characteristic impedance is maintained for narrow tracks, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ground plate recesses and protrusions are designed to automatically maintain the correct separation distance between the feed tracks and ground plane during assembly. The mechanical interference fit between the protrusions and the dielectric film, combined with the recess depth, self-regulates the spacing to ensure proper characteristic impedance without requiring high-precision manual adjustment or complex machining tolerances.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enables a compact, low-loss antenna array assembly by eliminating the need for a dielectric spacer layer, facilitating efficient manufacturing and maintaining high radiation performance across a wide range of frequencies.
Implementation Method 1
the dielectric film is held under tension, whereby to maintain spacing of the dielectric film from the sunken sections of the ground plate
Implementation Method 2
A separation distance between the film and the ground plate is maintained by providing a dielectric spacer layer between the film and the ground plate, which may be composed of a foam material having low loss properties at radio frequencies
Data Source
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AI summary
An antenna array assembly comprises a dielectric film (2) carrying an array of conductive patch radiator elements (7) and a plurality of conductive feed tracks and a ground plate (1), a face of the ground plate (1) having a contoured shape comprising a first part configured to be in contact with the dielectric film (2), and a second part comprising sunken sections with respect to the first part arranged to underlie the conductive feed tracks and conductive patch radiator elements (7), and the ground plate having locating protrusions (6g, 6f) protruding from the first part. The dielectric film is attached to the ground plate by location of holes in the dielectric film with the locating protrusions (6g, 6f) such that the dielectric film is held under tension to maintain spacing of the dielectric film (2) from the sunken sections of the ground plate (1) without the use of a dielectric spacer layer between the dielectric film (2) and the ground plate (1).